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The late Mr Isaiah Magagula

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE late Bulawayo City Council longest serving director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Isaiah Magagula, left a good legacy for Bulawayo, with his contributions earning the city a number of accolades.

Mr Magagula who died last Friday was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery yesterday afternoon.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing permanent secretary, Engineeer George Mlilo said: “I worked with Magagula when I was still at Bulawayo City Council, although we were cousins very few people knew about that. He was my pillar of strength. Magagula was a visionary and a wordsmith who had polite words and didn’t like quarrels.”

He said he suggested that Magagula’s funeral service be held at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre which is his brainchild.

“This amphitheatre was his brainchild. I remember when I visited South Africa with (Mike) Ndubiwa, I used to take pictures of amphitheatres I saw and gave him when I came back. He took some of the ideas and here we are today paying our last respects to him at the amphitheatre, one of his achievements,” said Eng Mlilo.

He said Magagula came up with the idea to establish the Mzilikazi Craft shop at Centenary Park to get tourists to buy products and artefacts made in Bulawayo.

“To survive in council you have to be strong. You see, there are councillors who are voted by people, they come and say a lot of things about you. They label you a thief, they tell you that you don’t know what you are doing among other nasty sentiments and so I respect Magagula for having stayed that long,” said Eng Mlilo.

He said Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere had sent his condolences to the Magagula family and the city of Bulawayo.

Eng Mlilo lambasted the Bulawayo City Council for advertising for his post before he had left the local authority.

“I’m glad Bulawayo had accepted that he is retiring but what shocked me is that before he had retired, Bulawayo had already advertised his post. What came to my mind is that my cousin is no longer wanted at council. I hadn’t spoken to the mayor about this but I don’t know how you wanted him to feel, that he is being replaced when he is still there?” he asked. Bulawayo mayor, Clr Martin Moyo said Magagula was a man of integrity.

“We appreciate the role that he played in the housing development of the city, liquor management through our strategic business unit Ingwebu and in the community services sections. He steered a housing delivery programme that became the envy of the entire country,” said Clr Mayor.
Magagula’s son Sobhuza described him as a loving father, a mentor and hardworking man.

The Acting Director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Mackenzie Moyo said council had planned to host a farewell party for Mr Magagula on Tuesday, the day he was bound to retire, but he died days earlier.

Mr Magagula joined the City of Bulawayo as a temporary clerical assistant in 1970.

He became a permanent employee (cashier/clerk) from 1971 to 1974. He left Bulawayo City Council to join the then Rhodesian Broadcasting Authority as producer-announcer for one year before pursuing studies in the United Kingdom.

Mr Magagula later re-joined council on  March 4, 1981, as senior clerical assistant before being promoted to administrative assistant II in the Department of Housing and Community Services.

He rose through the ranks and held various positions until his appointment as Director of the Housing and Community Services department in 1989.

He is survived by his wife Virginia, six children and four grandchildren.

— @AuxiliaK